Towing a motor vehicle on a roadway creates many problems. Among these is both the stress placed on the towing vehicle's braking system due to the added load and the reduced control of the towing vehicle from the forces the towed vehicle applies on the towing vehicle. The prior art contains methods to control the braking systems of towed vehicles to improve safety and reduce strain. However, this invention furthers the prior art by activating brakes on the towed vehicle in a new and useful way.
The following patents reflect the state of the art of which applicant is aware. These references are included to fulfill the applicant's duty to disclose known, relevant prior art.
TABLE ______________________________________ INVENTOR U.S. PAT NO. ISSUE DATE ______________________________________ Fenstermacher 2,513,854 July 4, 1950 Brown 2,522,855 September 19, 1950 Williams 2,562,008 July 24, 1951 Mettetal 2,575,183 November 13, 1951 Barnes 2,633,942 April 7, 1953 Klein 2,790,521 April 30, 1957 Hartke 2,796,956 June 25, 1957 McCurry et al. 4,398,771 August 16, 1983 Brochure-Atwood/Motor Service Bulletin 6/ Rim and Wheel Service effective 12/1/79 ______________________________________
It is stipulated, however, that none of these references teach singly, nor render obvious when combined, the nexus of this invention as disclosed in greater detail hereinafter and as particularly claimed.
The McCurry device is of interest in that it provides a means for applying the braking system of a towed vehicle whenever the braking system of the towing vehicle is applied. Applicant's device is distinguishable from McCurry because the applicant's device operates independent of the braking system of the towing vehicle. This advancement of the prior art is useful because situations occur in towing a vehicle where the towed vehicle applies forces on the towing vehicle without the towing vehicle's brakes being applied. Applicant's device is able to apply the brakes of the towed vehicle in these situations, alleviating these forces without taxing the towing vehicle's brakes.
The patent to Fenstermacher teaches a hydraulic cylinder activated by the pivoting of a trailer hitch. The applicant's device incorporates some of the separate components of Fenstermacher entirely within the hitch affixed to the towing vehicle. This unique characteristic allows the towing vehicle with the attached braking device to attach to a variety of towed vehicles without substantial modification of the towed vehicles. Furthermore, the applicant's device is designed to mate with commonly utilized hitch receivers, allowing the device to be easily installed and detached. The remainder of the cited prior art diverge more starkly from the device of this application.